Childhood Love
by Nutt Man 117
Summary: When Cloud manages to save Tifa from falling off the bridge to Mt. Nibel, Cloud begins to contemplate whether joining SOLDIER is really what he wants. Maybe being with was his life-long dream after all.


I decided to alter the Night Cloud and Tifa's promise just for a bit of fun. Don't get me wrong, I still think it's one of the best moments in all of Final Fantasy VII. I did this because I love Cloud and Tifa so much that it hurts when I see other people do mixed pairings with them. I mean REALLY! I hate it! Clorith!, ReTi! D: seriously! GTFO! Cloud and Tifa belong together...forever! :D

I do not own Cloud and Tifa or any other characters in this story I have missed. They all belong to Square Enix.

Enjoy!

**Childhood Love**

The boy gazed up at the stars admiring the glory that lit up the sky. He then glanced over at the moon; he took notice that it was full tonight. The moonlight was bright enough to illuminate the mountain town in which he lived. He then let out a long sigh and looked at his feet. "Maybe she isn't coming" he thought. It was a shame really. He was leaving next month and he may never see her again for a while. He never knew much about her anyway. They had only started talking to each other a few weeks ago but she was the closest person he had ever considered as a friend. He never really had any friends either. The other children always thought of him as different and could never fit in with the rest of them. They would make fun of him, bully him and sometimes get into fights. They would often be broken up by parents or other adults but they could never permanently stop them from doing it again. He would always see her amongst her many friends; most of them were boys, all trying to impress her all the time. He could never make an attempt to try and talk to her before; especially when her friends were around. He would end up making himself look like a fool. Whenever he was around her, her friends would never bully him but they wouldn't say anything to him either. He didn't know if she knew that he was being pushed around all the time but when he saw her she had a look of suspicion while looking at him and then her friends. She would always deserve someone much better than that he told himself, but he also came to think how he was any better? If no one wanted him then why would she want him?

It made it convenient that she was his next door neighbour. He had so many opportunities at talking to her but never could build up the courage. He would always stare out of his bedroom window into her. He smiled just looking at her even when after a long, hard day or a day of harsh people shoved into his face, she would always lighten his mood and bring warmth to his heart. Seeing her motions was breathtaking. Her long brown hair swaying over her back and over her shoulders. Her pale skin that looked so smooth and soft to touch. He loved her eyes too. Her red wine eyes had the most gentle look that you could just gaze at for hours.

She was only 13 and was still the most beautiful person he had known in existence. Him being only 14, he didn't know what girls thought of him, not that it really mattered anyway because he was only concerned what she thought about him. He then thought about it. What did she feel for him the day he saved her?

_Flashback_

_He ran at full sprint up the mountain. He had to find her. He vowed that he wouldn't let anything happen to her. He then saw what he recognised as her friends running back the opposite direction. As they ran past him he watched disgusted how they were abandoning her to climb the mountain by herself. "What are you doing! __**She's**__ still back there!" He shouted putting an emphasis on the word she. They didn't bother to look back and continued to run back towards the village. He groaned in anger and frustration and just continued to sprint up the mountain praying that she would be alright. As he was nearing the bridge the crossed the valley of the mountain he heard her scream out in fear and terror. _

"_Please come back! Help me!" he heard her cry through wails and sobs. This made him push himself to the very limit of running as he finally got to the bridge he found her clinging on to dear life. A part of the bridge had broken from here she was holding on and by the looks of it she couldn't hang on much longer. "Help! Somebody! Anybody!" She wailed through her sobs. "Cloud" she had mentioned his name a bit quietly and looked down as tears seemed to just stream down her cheeks. He didn't know why she had mentioned his name but this made him more determined than ever. _

"_Tifa!"He called out while sprinting towards her across the bridge while careful not to shake the bridge too much._

"_Cloud?" She looked up with eyes in shock and awe as if not believing that fact that he was standing right in front of her in this vert situation. _

"_Hang on Tifa! You're gonna be okay!" He assured her. She nodded in acknowledgment but still sobbing as she reached out an arm for her rescue. He then leaned over the bridge and caught her hand trembling hand with his. Her hands her soft and tender just as he thought they would be. He struggled to pull her up as he let out agonised grunts from his straining arm. _

"_Please don't let go... Cloud. Please... don't" She begged in her last hopes of survival. _

"_I promise you. I won't" He assured her again with this time tears breaking from his eyes. This time he put all his will into his pull and brought Tifa back to the surface of the bridge. He then fell on to his back upon the bridge, exhausted from the amount of effort it took to run up the mountain and pull Tifa back from her doom. He then looked over to Tifa who was looking down at him with her eyes squinted and a smile curing on her perfect lips. She then lunged at Cloud embracing him with her tears soaking his already sweaty shirt._

"_You...came for...me" she said. "Thank you for saving me Cloud" and with that she kissed him on his cheek. His face flushed red and just smiled at Tifa as she helped him back on his feet and both walked back to village._

Cloud had summarized to himself that he was in love with Tifa. But did she share the same feelings for him? Did she only appreciate Cloud because he saved her life or was it because she really did like Cloud? It started to worry him that she wasn't here so maybe he wasn't all that important to her.

He was about to give up but then heard light footsteps pacing towards him. He looked around and saw his dream girl.

"Sorry I was late." She said apologetically. "I had trouble trying to leave without being noticed."

"Don't worry about it" he said has his heart rate quickened and then became extremely nervous. She sat down right next to him and got comfortable. During this time, Cloud examined the features of her in the moonlight. She looked liked an angel which only made him more nervous.

"You said you wanted to talk to me?" Tifa said and looked over to Cloud.

"Err...yeah, I...umm, I wanted to tell you that...I'm leaving" He said looking to the ground because now it was just too hard to look at her without blushing.

"What do you mean?" she said with a look of sadness clear in her eyes as he not turned to face her.

"Well...I was thinking that I should join the military and I think that it would be good for me. It will help me get stronger"

There was a minutes silence and Cloud was sure he said something that had upset her. He was about to ask her when she had so suddenly changed the subject.

"Did I ever tell you that I had always a crush on you?" This made Cloud jump inside. He then stared at her in disbelief with his eyes wider than they had ever been before. He was speechless. "I knew you were watching me all these years...and I always felt so safe when you did so." Cloud had no idea of what to do or what to say. He just stared at her dumbfounded and unable to move. She then looked up at him and he could visibly see in the moonlight that she was blushing also.

"I...I...umm" was all he could muster out and instead he just looked to ground to save himself of the embarrassment of looking like an idiot.

"When are you leaving?" she asked as she went back looking down at her feet. Cloud took about a few seconds before he realised that she asked him a question just after admitting that she **did** like him.

"Next month" he said trying to sound confident as best he could. He dared to look over at her face again and found that tears were starting to well up in her eyes. She looked up him again showing emotions that she had never shown before.

"I don't won't you to leave Cloud" she said weakly "I don't want you to leave me" Cloud then thought about this. He was leaving because he actually really wanted to impress her and show her how strong he could really be. He was tired of the constant rumours about him and bullies that harassed him every week. He wanted to prove to everyone and especially Tifa that he was something more. He then suddenly felt a bit more comfortable and then spoke what his intentions looking Tifa right in her eyes.

"I have never been strong enough Tifa" he said frowning. "Not for you, not for my family, not for me...nobody." He thought it was going to end at that but she objected and this time she smiling knowing as if just how oblivious he is.

"You have been beaten all your life but you have never seemed to back down, run away or even given up. I've seen you have the courage to stand up for yourself because you knew that what they say about you isn't true. You were able to save me all by yourself and you didn't need any training at all." Tifa's face was edging towards Cloud's closer and closer. He was grateful of what she was saying but he didn't know why she wanted him to stay so bad.

"What...what are you trying to say?" Cloud asked nervously. This time Tifa moved her head so close to Cloud's that their foreheads embraced.

"What I'm trying to say is...that...I love you" and with that her lips brushed Cloud's and he was drowned in sweet ecstasy. He had never felt such a feeling swimming through his body. He didn't want it to end. Soon there was a need for air and they both parted their lips and started at each other. They didn't say anything but just continued to stare. After about a minute Cloud was the one to break the silence.

"I love you too" Their lips came together again, hungry for more. They stayed like that as minutes passed while tasting each other. Then Cloud broke from her and mad his final decision. "Your right, as long as you're in my life, I will be strong enough." Tifa looked deep into his blue ocean eyes and braced herself for what he was about to say. "I'll stay."

"Oh Cloud!" She lunged at him for joy and started kissing him all over and not stopping. Cloud just simply chuckled and held onto her while stroking her back as they stayed there throughout the whole night in utter bliss.

My first story! :)

What did ya think? Leave feedback and let me know ok?

Nutt Man xx


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